100% of roads of the Public Works Department should be made pothole free at the earliest.

There will be no shortage of funds for better arrangements for the Chardham Yatra.

Before starting the Chardham Yatra, the officers should regularly monitor the works by visiting the field.

Dehradun. Before the Chardham Yatra starts, all the departments should complete all the preparations at their level. For the smooth conduct of the Shri Badrinath Yatra, a team of BRO will regularly stay in Joshimath. If there are cracks or any other problems in the roads in Joshimath, they will be treated immediately. A control room for disaster management will also be set up at Joshimath for the successful conduct of the yatra. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami gave instructions to the officials while reviewing the preparations for the Chardham Yatra at the Secretariat.

The Chief Minister said that the Public Works Department had been instructed to make the roads of the Public Works Department 100 percent pothole-free, but still complaints of potholes are being received at many places. He directed that the Principal Secretary Public Works Department will review every week with the District Magistrates and officials of the Public Works Department to make the roads pothole free and improve the roads. This review will be continued until the reports of 100 percent pothole-free and improvement of Public Works Department roads are not received from the District Magistrates. The Chief Minister said that the Char Dhams of Uttarakhand are major centers of religious faith for the devotees. It is the responsibility of all of us that the journey of all the devotees should be safe and smooth. He said that all the concerned departments should pay special attention to what better facilities can be provided to the devotees this time while diagnosing those shortcomings which were left in last year’s Chardham Yatra.

The Chief Minister instructed the officials that proper arrangements should be made for the parking of vehicles on the Char Dham Yatra routes. Arrangements should also be made for the drivers to rest at the parking lots. Special care should be taken of cleanliness in Chardham Yatra. Complete arrangements should be made for cleanliness in the pedestrian routes as well. It should be ensured that there is proper arrangement of drinking water and toilets at all petrol pumps. Complete arrangements should be made for signage and crash barriers on the travel routes as per the requirement. The Chief Minister said that full arrangements will be made for the expenses for better arrangements for the Chardham Yatra, but no compromise will be made with the quality of the works. Fitness tests of vehicles and other necessary arrangements for the Chardham Yatra should be completed on time. Health, drinking water, toilets, and other necessary arrangements should be kept smooth on Chardham Yatra routes. Along with the arrangement of hot water for horses and mules on the walking routes of Chardham Yatra, complete arrangements should be made for the team of doctors from the Animal Husbandry Department.

The Chief Minister has instructed the officers that for better operation of the Chardham Yatra, before the commencement of the yatra, the officials should go to the ground and regularly monitor the works. The temples and religious places around the Char Dham Yatra routes should also be widely publicized so that devotees can visit these religious places along with the Char Dham Yatra. The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called upon the devotees to spend 05 percent of their travel expenses on buying local products, which will promote local products. For this, efforts should be made in this direction so that local products can be promoted in Chardham. Millet-based products should also be promoted during the Chardham Yatra.

Cabinet Ministers Satpal Maharaj, Prem Chand Agarwal, Chandan Ram Das, Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee President Ajendra Ajay, MLA Bharat Chaudhary, Mrs. Shaila Rani Rawat, Durgeshwar Lal, Chief Secretary Dr. S.S. Sandhu, Additional Chief Secretary Smt. Radha Raturi, Secretaries, Heads of Departments, and concerned District Magistrates were present through a virtual medium.